Vulcanized fibrous composition.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. KUMPH, OF DANVERS, MASSACHUSETTS.

VULCANIZED ITIIBROUS COMPOSITION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1907.

Application filed December 10.1906. Serial No. 347,201.

flexibility, durability, etc., my product being particu-.

larly adapted for use in making traveling bags, carriage tops, harnesstrimmings, boots and shoes, usual leather novelties, bookbindings,coverings for furniture, etc. To this end I employ refuse scrap rubber,scrap leather, antimony oxid, zinc oxid, red lead, palm oil, rosin,lime, litharge, and sulfur. The proportions of these ingredients will bevaried according to the purpose for which the stock is to be used, andas it is desired that the stock should be hard or soft, thick or thin,etc.

For general use I-employ by weight about 34 parts of the refuse scrap ofrubber, 50 parts of scrap leather, 2 parts each of antimony, zinc, rosinand sulfur, 4 parts each of the red lead and litharge, and 1 part eachof lime and palm oil. These are ground thoroughly and mixed or kneadedtogether, and are then sheeted and cured or vulcanized at a temperatureof about 280 degrees Fahrenheit. I have found by experiment that theseingredients are necessary, and that the results indicate some reactionor series of reactions, the exact nature of which I have not found itpossible to determine. The result is a highly flexible and exceedinglytough, hard, leather-like sheet capable of being creased, stitched,molded or shaped, and othe'rwise treated exactly the same as leather,and capable of producing exactly the same appearance and finish asleather.

The most common uses to which my improved article of manufacture is putare the manufacture of mats, table covers, furniture coverings, carriageand automobile tops, automobile clothing, boots and shoes, (particularlyovershoes, hunting boots, waterproof leggings, etc.), suit cases, bookbindings, etc.

I My artificial leather does not deteriorate or become rotten, brittleor hard as is the case with the usual socalled artificial leathershaving a vulcanized rubber foundation. Moreover, it does not crumble,but is tenacious, practically unstretchable, and yet highly pliable andflexible. The chief ingredients also, being of a scrap nature, areinexpensive, and yet the leather scrap gives the desired lightness andfibrous consistency, uniting with the rubber scrap in this respect, theresult being that the kneaded mass is capable of being sheeted intoexceedingly thin or thick layers, and

capable of receiving any calendered surface or coating or finishdesired. It may have a cloth backing, and be hard or soft, according tothe purpose to which it is to be put.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is:

1. The herein described artificial leather, consisting of refuse scraprubber, scrap 1eather,'rosin, antimony, palm oil,-lime, zinc, red lead,litharge and sulfur mixed and vulcanized together in sheet form;

'2. The herein described artificial leather, consisting of approximately85 per cent of scrap rubber and scrap leather, the leatherpredominating, approximately one percent each of palm oil and lime, andtwo per cent each of antimony, rosin, and zinc, and approximately fiveper cent of vulcanizing ingredient s, all of said ingredients beingthoroughly ground and mixed together, and vulcanized in sheet form.

3. The herein described artificial leather, consisting of approximately85 per cent of scrap rubber and scrap leather, the leatherpredominating, approximately one per cent each of palm oil and lime, andtwo per cent each of antimony and rosin, four per cent of red lead, andapproximately five per cent of vulcaniziugingredients, all of saidingredients being thoroughly ground and mixed together, and vulcanizedin sheet form. v

4. The herein described artificial leather, consisting of approximately85 per cent of scrap rubber and scrap leather, the leatherpredominating, approximately one per cent each of palm oil and lime, andtwo per cent of anti-' mony, four per cent each of red lead andlitharge, and one per cent of sulfur, all finely ground and mixedtogether, and vulcanized in sheet form.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN W. -KUMPH.

Witnesses:

.Tnssrn ENDICOTT WEDGE, JOSIAH F. BLY.

